It was probably a good distance from them. The optics on an Apache (or any attack helicopter) are pretty impressive and it's unlikely that the Taliban has any idea of their capabilities.

Based on how fast the bearings are changing (looking at both the heading indicator and using the road angle as a guide) and estimating the normal operating speed of an Apache, I'd say maybe a few miles at most. As for the second part, I'd guess someone in the Taliban has seen plenty of YouTube videos of said capabilities.

It was probably a good distance from them. The optics on an Apache (or any attack helicopter) are pretty impressive and it's unlikely that the Taliban has any idea of their capabilities.

I would think so as well. In the consumer market you can get thermal cameras with an operational range of 8 miles. The goods in the consumer market are at least 20 years behind what is available to the military. Guessing from the pixelation he could have been well over 15 miles away from that target.

Charlie Freak:Based on how fast the bearings are changing (looking at both the heading indicator and using the road angle as a guide) and estimating the normal operating speed of an Apache, I'd say maybe a few miles at most. As for the second part, I'd guess someone in the Taliban has seen plenty of YouTube videos of said capabilities.

Not all insurgents are Taliban, organized, trained, or knowledgeable. Some just decide they've had enough and jump in, Wolverine-style. Or maybe all the good bomb guys are already littered in pieces about the countryside.

The Hellfire missile (just for reference) has a range of up to 5 miles - being one of the Apache's favorite load-outs I would take that to mean the optics on the Apache are quite capable out past 5 miles.

And while 5 miles doesnt sound like much set your trip odometer on your car some time... then pretend like you'd really be paying attention to that helicopter "way off in the distance"

Charlie Freak:As for the second part, I'd guess someone in the Taliban has seen plenty of YouTube videos of said capabilities.

Seeing as we can't seem to agree on how far away the helicopter is from the video why do you think that they would be able to? They aren't stupid but they aren't exactly surrounded by technology are they? It's one thing to know that helicopters fly and shoot rockets. It's another to assume that they can read the newspaper over you shoulder from the horizon.

Helicopters are not rare in Afghanistan, they would have no reason to think that they were being observed directly. A lot of IEDs are planted ahead of a known patrol, and left just long enough for the earth to dry so to be indistinguishable.

Charlie Freak:Egoy3k: Deep Contact: Must of been a very quiet helicopter.

It was probably a good distance from them. The optics on an Apache (or any attack helicopter) are pretty impressive and it's unlikely that the Taliban has any idea of their capabilities.

Based on how fast the bearings are changing (looking at both the heading indicator and using the road angle as a guide) and estimating the normal operating speed of an Apache, I'd say maybe a few miles at most. As for the second part, I'd guess someone in the Taliban has seen plenty of YouTube videos of said capabilities.

Those are videos of actions, not videos of capabilities. The true limits are not available to the public.

Egoy3k:Charlie Freak: As for the second part, I'd guess someone in the Taliban has seen plenty of YouTube videos of said capabilities.

Seeing as we can't seem to agree on how far away the helicopter is from the video why do you think that they would be able to? They aren't stupid but they aren't exactly surrounded by technology are they? It's one thing to know that helicopters fly and shoot rockets. It's another to assume that they can read the newspaper over you shoulder from the horizon.

I spent a year in Iraq working with EDUCATED Iraqis. No AQ member could watch videos like this and use the helicopters changing bearing to calculate speed and distance. There is just no way. Educated Iraqis couldn't even do this. Never mind that it's pretty simple mathematics.

I remember a meeting of the Council of Representatives where one guy "trumped" another by announcing that he had completed the sixth grade. This is a person in Iraqi society on level with a U.S. Senator. <insert U.S. Senator joke here>

We were rocket attacked on the Embassy compound twice a day my entire tour. I was friends with some of the EOD guys who respond to those attacks. They would show me the photos. Two by fours propped up on car jacks cranked to various angles with the rockets resting on top in the hopes that maybe one or two would come close. Maybe 3 of 12 would fire properly. Some were wired incorrectly, others the cell phones used as timers had their alarms set to the wrong time (am not pm, etc). Often times the rocket would just detonate on the ground ruining the rest of the bunch in the process. These people aren't just dumb. They are in a whole different class of stupid.